


Life’Line

by jillypillu



Category: bungou stray dogs
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 03:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14886753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jillypillu/pseuds/jillypillu
Summary: Collection of one-shots percieving the relationship of Edogawa Ranpo and Eppo Michiko.





	Life’Line

Ranpo was never truly the romantic type of guy. He had always disliked mystery novels, but what really grinds his gears is the sappy and romantic novels Michiko is so fond of. Normally he would be okay with a fellow colleague having of different interests. It was just that she was his partner. Or what he likes to call her, an assistant. 

Instead of minding him and his glorious ability, she buries her head in a book. It was almost she was lost in another universe. What is it with people these days, trying to cover up their miserable lives with lies? Ranpo could not understand. And he will never, he was sure of it. 

Like any other day in the agency, Ranpo is cooped up in his desk with a lollipop sticking out his thin lips. He then pushed his gaze to the person beside his desk. Michiko Eppo. She had a new book in her hands.

This irked the detective. 

"Ne, Momo, what're you reading?" He rests his chin on the back of his palm. His closed eyes glared into her skull. 

The female licked her lips and grunts in response. She didn't even spare a glance at him.

Ranpo's face grew beet red as he puffed his cheeks in irritation. He hated how she never payed any attention towards him. What's so great about romance anyways? 

"You! Listen you!" Ranpo flicks his index finger at Michiko's direction. "Stop ignorning me! Are you an idiot!" 

Ranpo's tantrum rung throughout the whole room. Everyone snapped their necks and checked out what the commotion was all about. Especially if it was concerning their beloved detective. 

"What's the point in being my assistant if you're not even gonna pay attention to me?!" He yells, slamming his fists on the table, slapping away some of the papers. 

Kunikida, knowing not to get involved between the two, could not resist the urge to tell them off. He jumps off his chair and raises both hands to the side. "Michiko, just look at him for once-- I can't do my work if he keeps on whinning like a child!" He sounded exhausted. 

Michiko sighed. She trains her eyes to look at Ranpo, who still had pink flushed upon his cheeks. 

"You're right, Kunikida." She speaks. 

Kunikida chokes back a surprised sound. "I-I am..?" 

"Yes." Michiko smirks. "If Ranpo here wants to act like a child, then I'll treat him like one." 

"Eh?" Ranpo's squinted brows falters. Confusion drowns his mind. 

Michiko snaps her neck, and points her nose towards Ranpo. "Yes, Ranpo. Want me to change your diapers, you baby?" 

Ranpo could not comprehend what had happened. This was not how he wanted the conversation to happen. But if anything, he got what he wanted. Michiko was now staring (not to mention threatening) at him. 

The others were listening in as well. 

A smile soon crept up his face as an idea popped into his head. "Hm? You really asked that? I've got to say, Momo. I haven't piqued you up to have a mommy kink. It's probably because of all the romance novels you keep on reading. What a pervert." 

As if by command, Michiko's face flushed red. "Hah! W-What the hell, Ranpo! How could you say that-- you're the pervert here!" 

She pushes herself off her office chair and runs out of the room, hiding her face behind her well-manicured fingers. She seemed to have run off to the break room. 

Ranpo had a satisfactory smile planted on his lips. 

If there's anything he liked other than praise, was the look of embarassment from defeat of his opponent. He chuckled by the thought.

"Now, let's see what type of lame story has Michiko been reading." He spoke to himself, walking towards the book which was facing down on her table. He picked it up. 

His fingers trembled as he held the book in his palms. His heartbeat fastened its pace. Sweat dripped down his body. He was feeling both coolness and heat all at the same time. His green eyes were opened wide, unable to comprehend the words he kept rereading in his head. 

A whole paragraph has been crossed off with what seemed to be white marker. He could make out only bits of it, reading words like 'romance' 'not' 'exist'. And in the middle of it, is a messily scrawn handwriting. It read 

> _Romance isn't the same if he doesn't like you back. Ranpo, why don't you like me back?_

He doesn't even know what to say.

After a calculated thought process, he lays the book down on Michiko's desk. Softly he presses the book a close and places it right side up. Meekly, he stalks off to his desk without another word. 

As he sits back down on his chair, he is now aware of the dozen pair of eyes looking at him. For the first time, he didn't want anyone looking at him. So he slumps down in his seat, pulling himself closer to his desk. For the first time, he worked. 

Unconsciously he tears his eyes from the papers and to the door where Michiko had left. He was hoping she would come back. He didn't know what he will do then, but he just wanted her to come back. It wasn't fun without her anyway. 

Surely it had been an hour after she left. Ranpo had already done his work, filed his cases, and ran his data accordingly. And yet the desk beside his was empty. The atmosphere was empty. It deflated him even more. 

He made up his mind and realized that she had left the building. So he fixed his cap and stood from his chair. He ran towards the exit doors before anyone could tell him off. 

As he exited the building, he remembered something. One that of vital importance. 

"Crap, I don't know where to go."

Well he does know, but he doesn't know  _how_ to reach the place. With a shrug, he sniffs out his surrounding, searching for any establishments that may jog his memory on how to reach his partner. 

After much sniffing and almost getting hit by a car, Ranpo had reached the destination. The dock. Michiko was a person who did not like crowded and loud places, so the park was never an option. She also liked the smell of rain, and having a peaceful stroll somewhere no child would trail alone. 

Without much more effort, he spotted Michiko by the docking port, looking down the water. 

"Oy, Momo!" He waved his hand. "So this is where you've been the whole time. What a lousy assistant! Do you know how troublesome it was for me to reach this place?!" 

Michiko turned around, wiping her eyelids dry. She smirked as soon as she heard his voice. "I could only imagine." 

Ranpo sat down beside her.

He opened his eyes. "So.." 

"Hmm?" Michiko closed her eyes. "What is it boss?" 

He waved his hair back, shifting his cap to fall to his ears. "Momo," he breathes, "do you like me?" 

She laughs, almost sadly. "I'm surprised you're only figuring out now. You're the world's most amazing detective after all." She looks back at him. 

They shared a small amount of silence.

"You know what's also curious?" Ranpo started. "The way you acted earlier." 

Michiko humms. "What about it?" 

He lifts his fingers to his chin. "Well, it's unlike you to act like.."

"A baby?" She grins. "Yeah, well you caught me off-guard. I was in a vulnerable moment." 

Silence falls upon them once again. 

"You know it's fine." Michiko spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Ranpo replies, opening his eyes once again.

"You don't have to like me back. I can take rejection." She looks away. Away from his eyes. "My feelings shouldn't matter to you. It's stupid anyway." 

"I-I'm sorry.." Her voice cracks. Tears fall to from her cheeks to her fingers. 

"Michiko, look at me." 

"I said LOOK AT ME." 

He grabs her shoulders and turns her around. Her body twirls along with her black curls. Her torso racks with vibration as she tries to stiffle her sobs. Her pained tears dripped to his caramel poncho. 

"Michiko, please look into my eyes." 

Carefully she met eyes with his. Her pale gray pupils were filled with tears, yearning for hope. He lifts his hand to her cold cheeks, rubbing his calloused thumb over her soft skin. 

"I can't promise you much, except it pains me to see you like this. I don't understand how to feel towards you. I can't promise a life full of happiness. But I want you to know that life without you is a life I don't want to be in. You're one of the things on this world I need to have, or else I'm nothing. I'm empty without you, Michiko." 

Her pain-streaked eyes closed as did his. Her tears spewed gravely as his touch remained. But her lips were curving upwards, smiling through the pain.

"Th-That's the third t-time you called me Michiko.." She choked. 

He smiles as well, inching his face closer to her's, and placing a kiss on her cheek. "It's because I want you to know how serious I am." His breath tickled her ears as he kissed her once more. 

Perhaps Ranpo could be a romantic after all. 

It wasn't the ending she wanted, but it is what she needed.


End file.
